Julia Lo Bue-Said was celebrated by colleagues past and present, as well as industry figures, in a series of addresses and video messages played out to delegates.
Paul Nunn, Advantage’s chief operating officer, paid tribute to Lo Bue-Said’s “steadfastness, determination, passion and drive”, and told of how they had meticulously planned the surprise on-stage celebration.
“You can imagine the secrecy surrounding the rebranding," he said. "That’s got nothing on this – the security detail is off the scale!”
On stage, James Beagrie, boss of Advantage member Meon Travel, said: “Thirty years in one organisation is unnatural. The extraordinary results, growing it from as near as dammit as a start-up all the way to £17 billion [turnover], the integrity and talent – it’s unnatural. The honourable values you have injected is unnatural. And yet it all comes naturally to this woman.”
Beagrie said Lo Bue-Said was “a formidable force for good”, adding: “We all thank you from the bottom of our hearts – and the bottom of our bank balances.”
In a video message, former Advantage chief John McEwan said: “I always realised you had the ability to go on to greater things and so it proved.” He also referenced Lo Bue-Said’s lobbying efforts with government during and after the pandemic.
Former Advantage corporate director Ken McLeod joked: “Congratulations on completing your 30-year probation period,” adding Lo Bue-Said had been “a great advocate for ensuring women progress in travel” during “three advantageous decades”.
Gray Dawes Group chief executive Suzanne Horner also paid tribute to Lo Bue-Said’s efforts during the pandemic.
“Every time I walked past a TV, there was Julia, she was everywhere; at one point, more famous than [The Independent’s] Simon Calder.” She added Lo Bue-Said had “almost 50 meetings a year with government” and was “in their face at every opportunity”.
In another video message, Calder joked Lo Bue-Said’s 30 years meant “she would have been seven” when she joined.
“She has been absolutely brilliant at representing the travel industry. During the pandemic, she became the leading voice for the travel industry and is continuing to perform magnificently.”
Other messages came from Advantage’s Steven Esom, Tania Codling and Leigh Cowlishaw, plus Celebrity Cruises’ Giles Hawke and Themis Advisory’s Jo Kolatsis.
Video tributes were also received from Lo Bue-Said’s parents and sons before, in a surprise move, her husband and one of her sons appeared on stage with her.
Lo Bue-Said spoke of her passion for the industry and Advantage, saying: “It’s been nearly half my life that I’ve spent in it,” and paid tribute to colleagues, adding: “I don’t do this alone, I have such a dedicated, committed team. None of this happens on its own.”
